It was the brainchild of newspaperman James Elverson (1838–1911), who later owned the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Many of the stories were serialized over several issues; a measure designed to drive increased weekly sales.
The themes largely involved school, athletics, westerns and the frontier, travel, exploration, adventure, the sea, and success stories.
[9] The paper also included a weekly puzzle page, Puzzledom; a section for advice and responses to the young readers, the Letter Box; and a weekly Bible lesson and devotional titled "International Lessons", provided by such persons as Rev.
Certainly, this paper's contents catered to parents and clergymen, offering alternative material to the violence and debauchery of the 'blood and thunder' dime novels, such as those published by Frank Tousey and Norman Munro.